Country of residence: USA
Diving since: 1997
Level/agency of certification: PADI Divemaster; SSI Level 1 Freediver
William Drumm is a Denver-based underwater photographer, filmmaker, and ocean ambassador whose work reaches a monthly audience of millions. He is the photographer behind the album cover for Billie Eilish's album Hit Me Hard and Soft, the official Citizen Watch Promaster Sea Ambassador, and a long-term visual partner with Scuba Diving International.
His fine art prints, brand campaigns, and documentary-style productions have appeared across major media outlets worldwide, and he holds a BA in Journalism and a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado–Boulder. A portion of every print sale goes directly to marine conservation.
In his own words, here’s little more about William and what drives him in and out of the water.
How did you get into diving?
When I was a little kid, I would play with my parents' scuba gear sitting in a big duffel bag in the garage. I always dreamed about being underwater and used to submerge myself in the hot tub, breathing the air bubbles that came up from the bottom jets.
My parents obviously picked up on this, because they got me scuba certification for my 12th birthday. I got certified in a goose poop-filled pond behind a Walmart in Denver, Colorado. The water was murky and cold, and the wetsuit was thick and nearly impossible to put on. But seeing all the crawdads on the bottom made it more than worth it.
Later, I studied marine biology in Australia and worked as a divemaster on a liveaboard that ran trips out to the Great Barrier Reef. That's also where I first discovered underwater photography.
Since then, I've spent a lot of time freediving and scuba diving, and my passion for being underwater hasn't faded in the slightest.
What is your most memorable underwater experience?
My most memorable underwater experience was swimming with humpback whales in Tonga. There was one whale in particular who was completely enthralled with our presence, and we spent several hours in the water with him.
He was a young male, and he would swim right up to us, so close that we had to back away, then he would circle around us, rise to the surface, and roll and spin, spreading his pectoral fins out wide. At times it almost felt like he was trying to imitate us.
What is your proudest professional moment?
My proudest professional moment was photographing the album cover for Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft. It was a moment where all of my experience in underwater photography came together. For the first time, I had a massive team around me, an incredible creative vision from Billie herself, and the tools and resources to bring it to life. Afterwards, several people from her crew told me what an amazing director I was. It remains one of my proudest accomplishments.
What do you wish more people understood about the ocean?
I wish more people understood that the ocean isn't necessarily a scary place. So many people have a deep fear of the sea, and I understand why. It's vast, deep, and at times dangerous. But what they're missing is that when you're actually in the water, surrounded by the animals and the life, it becomes far less intimidating. The beauty is overwhelming, and the dynamic, three-dimensional nature of it is so much more interesting and incredible than it is frightening.
Growing up in Denver, most people around me had very little real understanding of what the ocean is. I wish that could change, because I believe if more people truly felt connected to it, they'd be more inclined to make choices that support a healthy planet and a healthy ocean.
What advice would you give to a new diver?
My advice to any new diver is to spend as much time in the water as possible and try everything. So many freedivers have no interest in scuba, and so many scuba divers have no interest in freediving. The truth is that being comfortable with both just gives you more access to the animals and ecosystems that all divers are ultimately seeking.
There are times when scuba is the better option, and times when freediving is. I've been on remote islands on scuba trips where life is just offshore, reachable with a short swim from the beach and sometimes even more beautiful than the deepwater reefs. But so many scuba divers won't get in without their tanks. The opposite is just as true on the other side.
Anyone who truly loves being underwater should stay open to exploring it in whatever way serves the moment best, whether that's on breath hold or on scuba.
What is your favorite piece of Cressi gear and why?
My favorite piece of Cressi gear is my Apnea wetsuit. I wear it for both freediving and scuba, and it's incredibly versatile, warm, and comfortable. It doesn't hurt that it looks great too. Once I made the switch from closed-cell to open-cell wetsuits, I never looked back. The Cressi ones in particular stand out because they're a little less sticky and easier to get into than other open-cell suits I've tried.
What does being a Cressi ambassador mean to you?
For me, being a Cressi Ambassador means being connected to a worldwide community of people who love being underwater. I'm drawn to the approachable, open-minded mentality that so many Cressi divers carry with them.
In some circles, there's a cliquishness and apprehensiveness toward other types of divers that I simply can't stand. Anyone who loves being underwater should respect and appreciate the full spectrum of underwater explorers, whether they're technical divers, freediver, snorkelers, ocean swimmers, sport divers, emergency response divers, scientific divers, or anything in between.
We all share the same love of being submerged, and regardless of how we choose to do it, that should be enough common ground to bring us together. For me, being a Cressi Ambassador is an easy way to find and connect with people who already feel that way.
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